No Bittersweet Tale
by Amaherst
Summary: A story with mixed emotions all the way through. Merry Christmas! R


Merry Christmas!! This does eventually become seasonal! Took me ages to write! Please review! Love ya all!**  
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**She had broken his heart, but not before changing him; not before making him friendless.**

**We were all there to witness it. And I hated to see who had helped her succeed to breaking him. **

**He was just sitting there minding his own business waiting for her. She came and starting shouting all the embarrassing things that had happened. His eyes started to glisten with tears as she moved on to scream her evil twisted plan that she had been working through; to crush him once and for all. She told him and everyone else how someone else had been pleasing her; something which he could never achieve; something which she had always had to fake. **

**Tears had already started to fall down his cheeks. She then told her lover to stand. His face said it all when he stood next to her. I could have killed him there and then. Only Odd had his hand wrapped round my arm stopping me. **

**He tried to walk out of the cafeteria without further embarrassment and without anyone noticing his rapid tears however she didn't allow it. **

"**Ulrich, I believe you should tell everyone here why I did it" Emily smirked.**

**He turned round and looked at her with sunken eyes. **

"**I think you already plan on it anyway and I wouldn't want to stop your fun" He replied scratchily.**

**He then looked at me and mouthed the words 'I'm so sorry' and then tried to walk off. **

"**Oh no Ulrich; you have to be here" She then snapped her fingers and William's friends grabbed hold of Ulrich. **

**She watched him struggle while cackling away. **

"**I'm sure you are all wondering why I'm doing this well while Ulrich was attempting to pleasure me he screamed someone else's name. Now at the time I just laughed it off but inside I was mad – I needed revenge so here it is Ulrich honey."**

"**The name he screamed out was Yumi" **

"**So I had her guy who was only too pleased to dump her for me" **

**I laughed.**

**Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. I laughed nonetheless. **

"**Mad cow" Emily muttered but I still heard her.**

**I looked up expecting to see Ulrich but to my surprise he was gone.**

**For hours we looked for him. But to our avail we couldn't find him anywhere. I stared out of my window all night; out at the pouring rain hoping that wherever Ulrich was he was safe and dry. I couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried I couldn't. The thought that he was out there heartbroken kept me awake. **

**As soon as daylight appeared I was outside again searching for him. The rain was still pouring down but I looked and looked for him. Odd, Jeremie and Aelita joined me halfway through the day but again no sign of him. We knew we had to tell someone soon but we were all worried about him and wanted to set our minds at peace. **

**We decided after another days looking to give up until morning as it was getting dark and try for another couple of hours tomorrow until we tell someone. **

**I carried on looking after the others gave up. Even though I was soaked through, I knew I couldn't stop. After three hours of complete darkness surrounding me and no Ulrich – I heard something. I instantly stopped and listened. It sounded like soft sobs. And it appeared to be coming from above me. I looked up and saw an old tree house. **

**I climbed up it and thought it was another dead end at first until I saw a crying wreck in the corner. **

"**Ulrich!" I screamed. He jumped and looked away from me; ashamed to let me see him.**

"**Ulrich, come on, lets go" I tried.**

**He shook his head.**

"**Ulrich please come with me. We've all been worried about you"**

"**How can you even stand to see me?" He asked. He sounded like he hadn't used his voice in a while.**

"**Because you're my friend and I hate them two for what they did to you"**

"**They embarrassed you too thanks to me and my pathetic mind" **

"**Don't say that Ulrich and no they didn't I laughed it off. Ulrich you're great. Sure she turned you all against us but we don't care we've all been worried about you"**

"**I'm a horrid person Yumi, just go away"**

**I moved closer to him where I was able to see him properly. His face was red and puffy and tears were still falling but there was something that truly shocked and renewed the worries.**

"**Ulrich – why is there blood on your face?"**

**He looked at me surprised that I was so close to him and then he looked down. I followed his eyes to the rusty blade in his hand and the deep, still bleeding scars heavily slashed across his arms.**

**I gasped.**

"**Ulrich, what have you done to yourself?" I whispered. **

**His tears that had started to dry up only returned as he saw how hurt I was.**

"**I'm better off dead Yumi – no one likes me, not even my own family"**

"**Don't say that Ulrich. I like you, the gang likes you or else we wouldn't have spent hours in the pouring rain looking everywhere for you"**

"**Please Ulrich lets go"**

"**I have nowhere to go Yumi. If I went back to my dorm I'd only see them everywhere. Thanks for caring but I'm better off here"**

**I thought about what he said and climbed down to make a phone call.**

**I told the whole situation to my mom who instantly told me to bring him round so she could mother him well.**

**I climbed back up with a smile.**

"**You're coming home"**

"**I have no home Yumi – just please stop trying"**

"**My home is your home"**

**I eventually dragged him to my house where my mom was waiting for us. She grabbed us inside and dragged Ulrich to the kitchen where a cup of hot chocolate was waiting for him. While he drank it, slightly confused about what was going on, my mother cleaned his self afflicted wounds on his arms and then wrapped them. **

"**So I'll expect you're hungry aren't you dear?" My mom asked him sweetly.**

**Ulrich who hadn't spoke a word since entering my home slightly shook his head and muttered thanks.**

"**Well Ulrich I'm going to have to force you to eat before you die of starvation." My mother said in a caring tone.**

**She put in front of him a plate of pizza and fries which she knew to be his favourite from him hanging out here previously.**

**My mom left me and Ulrich so he could eat. Ulrich just played with his food, a tear falling down his cheek.**

**I watched him whilst contemplating what to do.**

**I sat next to him and we ended up staring at each other.**

"**I don't understand" He finally said.**

"**What don't you understand?" I asked softly.**

"**I was horrible to you and didn't speak to you for over 3 months yet you still seem to care, why?"**

"**Yes Ulrich you weren't pleasant to me nor did you speak to me or the gang for that period of time but we still have your back and besides it was all down to that cow" **

**He nodded.**

"**Ulrich please eat, you're scaring me"**

**He looked at me straight in my eyes for the first time in what seemed a decade and he gave the smallest of smiles but it was genuine and it was a start.**

**He then began to slowly eat. He couldn't finish it all, all he managed was a couple of bites of pizza and some fries before he looked like he was going to be sick if he had anymore so I said he could leave it.**

**The next morning I eagerly walked into the spare room where Ulrich was sleeping expecting to have to wake him up. Only I didn't have to for it would seem he hadn't been asleep. He was in a corner with tears yet again falling down his cheeks. I noticed, with relief, that his bandages were still on and there was no sign of blood.**

"**Ulrich – what's wrong?" I asked whilst sitting next to him.**

"**I'm such an idiot Yumi" He cried.**

**I knew what he was talking about. He was meaning trusting Emily. I moved closer to him and hugged him. He seemed to appear shocked at first but then hugged back and cried into my shoulder.**

"**Did you sleep at all?" I asked him mid-hug.**

"**A couple of hours" He muttered.**

"**Well its ten now so have a couple more hours sleep and then I'll wake you up and reacquaint you with the gang"**

**His eyes instantly showed fear.**

"**There'll want to know you're ok and see it too" I reported.**

"**I won't know what to say Yumi and you can see what I'm like with you; like a pathetic lost little boy so how am I going to be with them?" He asked.**

"**Stop insulting yourself!" I pleaded. "You're just upset and probably nervous, you'll get better. Please let me call them" **

"**No"**

**I started to plead again until he put a hand up to stop me. He watched me and my eyes begging with him to see the gang. He saw the longing in my eyes for the gang to be all back together. He looked down onto his bandages and sighed deeply.**

"**I'll call them and invite them round Yumi, you're right; I'm sorry" he said stuttering slightly.**

**I couldn't believe what I'd heard but I squealed with delight and hugged him, he laughed very quietly and hugged me back loosely afraid to properly hug me in case it was a ploy. **

**Later that day Ulrich used my mobile to call Jeremie. I heard him apologise to him for his disgusting behaviour during those 3 months and then I heard him invite him and the rest of the gang over to mine.**

**I looked at him as he ended the call with Jeremie.**

"**They'll be over in an hour" He told me.**

**I nodded and moved to sit next to him on the couch.**

**He looked at me unsure of what to do or say. As I sat down beside him I hugged him. He hugged back tightly for the first time.**

"**Yumi, I really am sorry" He said still hugging me.**

**I moved myself from his embrace to look him and I found myself smiling at me.**

**I couldn't believe that they had come back. After three months of loathing him for believing her over me. For doing nothing when she made the whole school laugh at me when I was attempting to get him back to the gang. But now I couldn't care less. It felt right to have these feelings back for him. It felt right just to remain to put my head on his shoulder, to lounge over him. It felt so right that he was here beside me. **

**I did feel him twitch at my movement of resting my head on him but then he did something that amazed me. He put his arm around me to allow me to rest better. I cuddled into him and soon found myself falling to sleep in his warm and comforting hold.**

**A doorbell awoke me. I looked up and saw that Ulrich had also fallen asleep. I moved from him trying not to disturb him, I accomplished this with ease for Ulrich was a deep sleeper.**

**I stretched as I walked to the door to open it to our friends.**

**They all smiled at me and walked it. I put my finger to my lips indicating that we had to be quiet. I led them to the living room where he was. **

**They all looked at him and slightly smiled.**

"**He's back" Odd smirked.**

"**Why are there bandages on his arms?" Aelita asked me.**

"**Ulrich, well, he's a self harmer thanks to Emily and co"**

**They all looked at me, eyes wide and mouths open in shock.**

"**That cow" Odd whispered mostly to himself.**

"**I know but what we have to concentrate on is getting him better again, not down or depressed like he is at the moment or crying every ten minutes. If we want him back we have to get him back" I told them sternly.**

**They all nodded in agreement.**

**Ulrich woke up with the doorbell ringing out with the pizza delivery.**

**I noticed it and went over to him as Odd went to pay for the pizza as my parents and brother was out for the night. I was invited to go but I wanted to stay and look after Ulrich. They knew it was best for him and agreed, giving me money to get takeaways.**

**He slightly smiled at me as I sat next to him. I noticed fear in his eyes as he saw Odd re-enter the room and as he noticed Jeremie and Aelita talking in the opposite side of the room.**

"**Its ok, they're here to see you not hurt you or hate you" I assured him.**

**He nodded but his eyes told me that he was still worried.**

"**Ulrich, you're awake!" Aelita gleamed.**

**He made an effort to smile but it however failed.**

"**How are you, buddy?" Odd asked sitting on the arm right next to Ulrich with a slice of pizza in his hand.**

**I watched Ulrich with confusion. He didn't answer Odd and he seemed scared to talk. I watched him get up and walk out the room.**

**I gave him a couple of seconds until I followed him out and upstairs.**

"**Ulrich, what's wrong?" I asked.**

"**I can't do it Yumes, I wish I could, but I can't" He told me a single tear falling down his cheek.**

"**Its ok, at least we tried and we'll keep trying, ok?" **

"**Ok" He agreed.**

**I hugged him tightly and he did the same to me.**

"**Do you know what would kill me?" I asked him whilst the hug came to an end.**

**He looked at me.**

"**You not being able to talk to me or hug me 'coz we've always been the best of friends, and I love it"**

**He smiled and this time it was slightly wider than it had been.**

**I couldn't hold it in any longer; I embraced him and kissed him gently. I felt him kiss back and I smiled beneath our lip lock.**

**Two months after our first kiss things started to get better, not straight away of course that only happens in fairy tales.**

**Slowly we started to get Ulrich to be himself again and act normal with us; well really with the rest of the gang, he was fine with me. After three weeks, he started talking freely to the rest of the gang which brought happiness to us all, including Ulrich.**

**When we had to go back to school after autumn break, it was a nightmare. Ulrich and I had entered the school gates hand in hand in front of the eyes of Emily and William who had been previously arguing, Aelita had informed me after.**

**Emily started to cackle when she saw how bad Ulrich looked. For you see, he had lost a lot of weight, still had some cutting sessions and now completely hated the colour green for she always said it was their colour so now he wore black and red clothes, which I must say looked great with his new dyed black hair.**

"**You're a Goth! Just like the slut you're holding hands with! I knew I would destroy you" Emily howled.**

**I held Ulrich's hand tighter as I felt him start to shake**

"**I've heard that you've moved in with her – that's gonna be slightly awkward when you guys break up pretty soon!" She continued attempting to get a reaction from us but we stayed there watching her.**

"**Emily – you sound pathetic. Everyone knows that those two were going to get together sooner or later. Just because you didn't get your way doesn't mean you have to act like the Sissy-wannabe you are" Aelita yelled over to her.**

**Everyone looked at Aelita in shock. Never before had she stood up to someone besides Jeremie.**

**Emily stood there dumbfounded that Aelita had spoken out of turn to her.**

"**Why do you guys care about that loser anyway? I turned him against you lot, so much so that you passed insults to each other" She screamed.**

"**Because he needed us, and nothing else matters beside that. We'll always have each others back because we have something you'll never have Emily" Odd proclaimed proudly.**

"**And what's that?" She screeched sounding more and more like Sissy who was watching from afar with her boyfriend, Theo.**

"**Love" "We're family to one another, no matter what. We have real true friendship that never dies that is something you also will never have" Jeremie said firmly.**

**She screamed in fury and walked off in a huff.**

**Everyone laughed except for Ulrich.**

"**What's wrong?" I asked him.**

"**Nothing" he mumbled back to me.**

**I knew something was up but I didn't push him I just left it until he would tell me in his own time. **

**Apart from that first incident, nothing much else interesting happened. Apart from Sissy who had really changed thanks to Theo walking up to I and Ulrich and wishing us luck.**

**When we got back home, Ulrich went straight up to his room, which we had decorated for him to be more comfortable in, without a word. I watched him go, knowing he had to be by himself. I just hoped he wasn't cutting. **

**After an hour I went up to his room and knocked quietly on his door. No answer. So cautiously I entered his room and screamed in shock. My whole family ran up the stairs to see why I had screamed.**

"**Hiroki, call an ambulance. You know how to, just do it" My father ordered him.**

**My mom knelt beside him lifting his head up and trying to get a response to no benefit. All I could do was silently cry as I watched him lie in a pool of his blood with a soft smile on his face.**

**Three hours waiting in the emergency room was enough to drive anyone mad, especially when the one you love is in theatre dying and there is nothing you can do about it. I looked around and saw Aelita asleep on Jeremie who was still awake and staring into space. Odd was lying on three chairs, and doing the same as Jeremie, just staring at nothing.**

**My mom was sitting beside me watching my father pace in front of us. Hiroki was in a corner seat, curled up, asleep.**

**I couldn't hold it in any longer. I cried and cried and cried. I woke Aelita and Hiroki up and brought Jeremie and Odd out of their trances. My mom instantly put her arm around me and my dad stopped pacing to watch everyone gather around me whispering words of comfort and assurance. **

**I fell asleep soon after that, I'm not sure how long I was asleep for. All I know was that my dreams were rigged with terrors of Ulrich dying. I saw myself crying into mud beside his grave. I saw myself depressed, hating everyone and I heard Emily's cackling.**

**My mom woke me up when the nurse came through. **

"**I've informed his parents of what has been happening via phone and they have now wished you to know also" **

"**He's stable and awake but we lost him three times so we'll be keeping him in to check on him and also to get him help for his depression"**

"**He's also calling for one person only to see him first and that would be the name of Yumi" she looked around to see which one of that was. I stood slowly and looked at her.**

"**You wish to see him?" She asked.**

**I nodded vigorously.**

"**Follow me"**

**I followed her into a side ward. She left as we stared at each other.**

"**I'm sorry Yumi" He said quietly looking away from me.**

**I rushed to him beside the hospital bed and hugged him as best as I could.**

"**Please, don't do that again Ulrich, you scared me so much" I sobbed into his embrace "I thought I had lost you"**

"**I'm so sorry Yumi" He also sobbed.**

"**Why did you do it? I thought you were getting better" I asked looking into his teary eyes.**

"**So did I, it just happened on instinct. I didn't plan on it I swear Yumes" **

**I nodded, knowing he hadn't. I didn't know why I knew he hadn't planned it, I just did. It wasn't something I questioned often.**

"**Promise me you won't do it again? Promise you'll come to me first?"**

"**I promise" He looked at me and I knew he meant it. I just knew!**

**Three weeks later Ulrich was released from the hospital. He had to take anti-depressants and have a weekly session with the therapist but he was home and that's all that we all cared about. Me, my family and the gang all had to have a meeting with the therapist too so we knew how to help Ulrich. **

**Dr Ivy, the therapist, had asked Ulrich to tell her which one of us he was closest to. And obviously it was me. Dr Ivy called me Ulrich's personal emotional helper. And once a fortnight I also had to have a meeting with Dr Ivy to talk her through Ulrich's problems, fears, and anxiety's from my point of view and also what Ulrich had discussed with me. Of course she understood I couldn't tell them her in full length, she just wanted the initial outline of his discussions with me.**

**Slowly he seemed to becoming his old self. Our romantic relationship was put on hold wordlessly. I understood why, and didn't question he still had feelings for me. But he needed to become well again, and day by day his usual self was coming back. Well apart from his attire being all in black and of course his dyed black hair.**

**A week before Christmas I felt like Ulrich was back, truly back. He still went slightly quiet when Emily or William was near but everything else was fine. His sessions with Dr Ivy were going well and Ulrich even seemed more open to discuss things with us. **

**Hiroki loved having Ulrich around. Ulrich, still the soccer expert and lover, was teaching him to play properly and Hiroki was even heard, on the phone to his friend, boasting about having a soccer expert living in his house and dating his sister!**

**Even though, I and Ulrich weren't getting any closer that way, I couldn't help smiling at the thought. **

**On Christmas Eve, all of us were around television watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas". All of us had opened a present each as was our family's tradition. Ulrich joined in and opened the present that Hiroki brought him which turned out to be Aiden hoodie. I opened my present from my aunt in Japan and found it was a gorgeous black necklace. My mom and Dad opened ones from one another; one perfume and the other a watch. Hiroki opened his from me and found new Soccer gear. The smile on his face was worth having to do extra chores to get the extra money. Hey, I may fight with him but he's still my kid brother!**

**Halfway through the movie my parents went to bed to get plenty of sleep; they also dragged Hiroki to bed knowing that he would grow tired early if he didn't sleep now.**

**Ulrich and I carried on watching the movie. I was starting to fall asleep when Ulrich got up from the couch and looked out the window. I followed him unsure of his intentions of why he had done this.**

"**Uh Yumi when you open my present to you; it isn't going to be what I've really brought you"**

"**What do you mean?" I asked him confused.**

**He removed a small box-shaped parcel from his pocket.**

"**You've done so much for me these past six months, even after how badly I treated you 3 months prior to her actions. You've helped me a lot and I don't know how I can repay you for that"**

"**Ulrich, you don-"**

"**Let me finish! I won't be able to repay you I know. So each occasion I'm going to buy you a gift, to show that I still remember what you did for me and to show my appreciation and err, my err, my love for you"**

**He put the box into the hands and told me to open it.**

**I nodded and smile as I began to unwrap the paper around the box. I lifted the lid on the unwrapped box and found a gold diamond ring in it. I gasped realising how much this would have cost him.**

"**Ulrich; its lovely but it must have cost – "**

"**Yumi; I don't care how much it cost. Your caring must have worn you out but you still did it"**

**I closed my mouth knowing I wasn't going to get him to take it back like I was going to.**

**I slipped it onto my ring finger and it fitted perfectly.**

"**How did you know my ring size?" I asked.**

"**Aelita told me" He responded.**

**I couldn't hold it in any longer. I embraced him tightly and felt him hug me back. **

"**Thank you Ulrich – I love it!"**

**I moved myself from his hold and smiled up at him.**

**I saw his longing in his eyes and I know he saw mine.**

"**I wasn't going to kiss you for fear you'd think I was ready for our relationship. I didn't think I would be after Emily and then me trying to end it all but I am so…"**

**And so he leaned into me and kissed me. I obviously kissed him back and managed to deepen the kiss to the point that he picked me up bridal style and carried me to the sofa where we had a huge make-out session. Needles to say I was in heaven. He knew I wasn't ready to have sex with him but he knew I would allow some second base action to happen, and happen to enjoy it at the same time!**

**Christmas day came and I was busy greeting all my family who was coming through the door. Finally after what seemed like a thousand relatives I was meeting and greeting; they stopped coming. And I was allowed to relax for all of two minutes before my mom called me to help her with the dinner.**

**Dinner was served. And everyone was eating. I looked around the table and found I couldn't find Ulrich around it. After a second check of the table I asked my mom where he was.**

"**He said he was finding it hard to be around all these people; felt anxious; first signs of the depression coming back he feared, so I said he could stay upstairs if he wanted to, he does have his lunch with him!" **

"**Can I join him Mother? It's depressing to be by yourself on Christmas too."**

**My mom smiled and nodded. **

"**Take some crackers up with you!"**

**Me and Ulrich laughed and laughed eating lunch together. We laughed at our messy eating, at the corny jokes inside the crackers and at how we looked with the cracker hats on: two Goths attempting to look festive!**

**A year that turned out bad with Ulrich hating me and the gang and the chances of us ever being together an absolute zero turning into Ulrich loving me! And being together! Now that's what I call a happy ending!**

**Got to go now; me, Ulrich and the rest of the gang are going ice skating! **

Please review and again Merry Christmas.

Mel

xxx 


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